Thursday, June 27, 2013

Braga: Week 6

Yo

You're not even going to believe this! So yesterday was transfer day and we waited all day to see if we would get a phone call. Normally they're done with them by 8 ish my companion said so after 8 we were all like we're staying here another transfer! So I was just sitting in my bed getting ready to go to sleep and my companion walks in with tears in her eyes. She was holding the cell phone and was like Sister Carroll... And I just started laughing and said yeah right I'm not getting transfered. And she just nodded and handed me the phone. So I thought it was a big joke and I just said really funny Elder Brown! He said no I'm dead serious you're leaving tomorrow morning! I honestly was in shock! Sister Silva was already in that area for 3 transfers and I left after 1! Crazy stuff. But I'm super happy about it!

I'm in a city further North of where I was called Bragha. It's REALLY cool I like it a lot! Guess who my companion is? Remember the girl we met at Zupas the day I went in to the MTC? Sister Gibbs? She's my new companion! We went to the MTC the same day so we've both only been here 6 weeks and can't speak Portuguese but I couldn't be happier to be here! She's awesome I can't wait for this transfer. It's going to force us to speak more Portuguese and get better at the language! Also she's really into health stuff so we're going to push each other and NOT GAIN 40 POUNDS!!!

Our apartment is RIDICULOUSLY nice. Like it almost makes me feel extremely guilty it's so nice. And we live in it by ourselves! No other roommates. Big change. The city is a lot bigger too which means more walking and more people to talk to! WOO HOO.

This morning when I left I had to take a bus by myself (First time being alone in 3 months feels like I'm breaking so many rules) and the Elder that gave me instructions told me the wrong thing! So I'm waiting on the bus for my bus stop and the bus driver just stops and parks and gets off... So I asked him if we were at my stop and he told me that he doesn't drive there... WHOOPS. Anyway so I'm lost in Porto by myself with three suitcases and a backpack. I thought my arms were going to fall off. I seriously had no idea where I was going I just knew I needed to find a train station. So I was walking for what seems like forever and I just wanted to cry because my luggage was so heavy and I said a little prayer that someone would come help me. Right when I was finished praying these two French people walked across the street and asked if I needed help. They were going to the same place as me so they each helped me take a suitcase and showed me where to go! They were angels! AND THEY SPOKE ENGLISH! What are the odds? And then after that I had to walk further by myself because they went to a different area, and another guy stops and asks if I need help in ENGLISH! He showed me where to go and as he was walking away he said, "You're not alone are you?" And I said yeah.... DON'T WORRY HE DIDN'T MEAN IT IN A CREEPY WAY! So he just said yeah I'm not letting you carry these bags alone. So he helped me and showed me exactly where to go and seriously saved my life. Then as I was getting off the train ANOTHER man helped me carry my luggage and helped me buy my train ticket and everything. He was so nice. He didn't speak English but I was able to scrape by a conversation with him. Seriously though I was so excited to see my companion and finally not feel lost! It was a long morning haha but I'm so grateful that those people were all there to help me!

How is everyone doing? I feel like I had a ton of things to tell you and then this excitement happened and now I've got nothing! Uh... Well my first pair of shoes officially died yesterday. I was walking to the bus stop and the entire bottom of my shoe fell right off. Hahaha. Good thing I had tights on because I had to walk like that for the next few hours. But no biggy I've got more shoes! I just looked like a homeless person.

Oh I tried to send a box home of stuff, and it was going to cost me 47 Euros for a tiny box... I don't know about you but I'm not made of money so I think I'll just hold on to it haha. And also... Mom or Kelsey or Kristan or somebody I know one of you talked about sending me something but don't waste your money haha that's a rip off. I'm fine!

Hmmm what else? Oh I didn't get to say goodbye to my peeps in Vila Real which is a bummer... but I guess that's part of the mission life! One of our members, Euralia, is the funniest lady! She's from Brazil and she only moved to Portugal to help with the church. She's amazing. But anyway every Sunday during church there are flies and bees flying around and she takes this huge can of bug spray and literally is running around chasing the bugs spraying them. Hahaha right during the middle of the people's talks. I seriously can't hold in my laughter sometimes. It's bad.

Oh my gosh I forgot to tell you I'm a sinner! So we were teaching a lesson and this guy we were teaching ALWAYS brings out like 8 desserts and a drink and makes us eat them all. Seriously it was awful but so he gave us a drink and I didn't know what it was so I asked Sister Silva if it was okay and she said I think so let me look at the nutritional facts. She said it was fine! So I drank the whole glass. To make a long story short later we looked at the nutritional facts again to make sure turns out it was Iced Tea and we broke the Word of Wisdom as missionaries. So that felt strange.

Anyway this email is super long so I need to chill out and stop with the stories! Hope everyone is healthy and happy. Love you all!